In this section

HOUSES OF BENEDICTINE NUNS

5. SOPWELL PRIORY

The Benedictine nunnery of St. Mary of
Sopwell, near St. Albans, is said by Matthew
Paris to have owed its foundation to the building by Geoffrey, sixteenth Abbot of St. Albans
(1119-46), of a cell and houses for two holy
women who had settled near Eywood about
1140 in rough shelters made of branches of
trees wattled together. (fn. 1) His account cannot be
altogether correct, for the cell first occupied by
the convent was an ankerhold repaired or
rebuilt by a recluse named Roger. (fn. 2) Still, the
house apparently arose in Geoffrey's time, (fn. 3)
and as very early in its history it became
dependent on St. Albans, the abbot was probably concerned in its foundation, (fn. 4) with the
object no doubt of accommodating the nuns
who existed at St. Albans Abbey through the
Saxon period down to about this date.

While Geoffrey was abbot the cemetery of
the nuns was consecrated by Bishop Alexander,
probably Alexander Bishop of Lincoln (1123-48),
and it was then ordained that without the
consent of the abbot none might enter the convent, the number of which was limited to
thirteen. (fn. 5) Geoffrey is also said to have directed
that the nuns for their safety and good name
were to be locked in at night under the abbot's
seal, and that maidens only were to be received
into the community. (fn. 6)

Among the earliest grants to Sopwell were
those of Henry de Albini (fn. 7) and his son, the
former giving in frankalmoign 2 hides of land
in his manor of Cotes, in Cardington parish, co.
Bedford, (fn. 8) and the other adding a virgate in the
same place when his sister Amicia became a
nun at Sopwell (fn. 9); Roland de Dinan's gift to the
nuns of half a hide in Ickleford; Richard de
Tany's (fn. 10) grant of land called Black Hide in
the soke of Tyttenhanger (fn. 11); that of Hugh de
Keynes (fn. 12) of a hide in Croughton, co. Northants. (fn. 13)
Other benefactions included assarted land
in Shenley, (fn. 14) the yearly allowance of 50s.
from the issues of Hertfordshire, granted in
1247 by Henry III to support a chaplain celebrating daily the mass of the Virgin, (fn. 15) a rent of
5s. in West Wycombe received in 1281 (fn. 16) from
Henry de Norwyco, whose daughter Philippa
was a nun at Sopwell in February 1266-7, and
was then promised by Abbot Roger the first
livery to fall vacant of the three called the
Maundy of St. Mary, delivered daily from the
abbey's refectory and kitchen. (fn. 17)

The convent, apparently not satisfied with
its dependent position, on one occasion tried to
elect the prioress. On the death of Prioress
Philippa, c. 1330, they talked the matter over
among themselves, and the majority decided
on Sister Alice de Hakeneye. (fn. 18) The Abbot of
St. Albans hearing what had occurred sent
Nicholas de Flamstede, the prior, to the priory
unexpectedly. He said that although the abbot
had the right to select their head he wished to
hear their opinions, and asked each to state
her choice in writing. Sixteen and more gave
their votes for Alice de Hakeneye, about three
for the sub-prioress, Alice de Pekesden.
Nicholas, however, by previous instructions
from the abbot, declared Alice de Pekesden
prioress and installed her. She was probably
indeed the best fitted for the post, for she is
said to have been more zealous for religion
than all the rest.

A glimpse of the state of the house twenty
years later is afforded by the injunctions issued
by Abbot Michael in 1338 after a visitation. (fn. 19)
These order that the nuns were to sing the mass
of St. Alban once a week with a few exceptions;
that no sister undergoing the penance of silence
was to be debarred from religious exercises or
from seeing mass celebrated; that the custom
of the chaplain of our Lady to help the confessor
at certain services was to be observed; that
when it was time to rise the sub-prioress was to
ring the bell in the quire and no one was to leave
the dormitory before without permission, all must
then get up and attend the mass of our Lady,
and after this sit in the cloister occupied with
their private devotions until Prime, at which
all except the sick were to be present, then they
should attend the chapter and in the interval
until their meal go about their work; the doors
of the garden and parlour were to be closed
when curfew was sounded at the abbey, and the
door of the garden should not be opened before
Prime; that in chapter only three persons
should speak—the president, sub-prioress or her
substitute, and the sister charged with an
offence; those disobedient to the prioress in
chapter were to be put on bread and water for
the day; that all who broke the silence ordered
by their rule should acknowledge their fault in
chapter and receive regular discipline, and if
they did not do so voluntarily they should be
charged by the guardian of the order and have
the hardest penance; that those who quarrelled
and thus created disorder should not be spoken
to and be in penance for three days; that the
sisters were not to come into the parlour to
speak to secular persons except with neck and
face covered with kerchief and veil as ordained
by their order; that only persons of good same
were to be allowed to enter the priory and were
never to eat in the nuns' rooms without the
abbot's special permission; that workpeople
such as tailors and furriers employed at the
priory must be respectable, and should have a
place near the cloister set apart for them, and
were never to be called into the rooms; that
nuns who were ill were to be in the infirmary
according to the custom formerly observed;
the prioress was forbidden to give leave to the
nuns to remain with guests for the night and
the dormitory was to be occupied by the sisters
only. These rules perhaps suggest precautionary
measures rather than indicate great lack of
discipline.

The orders given by Abbot Thomas (fn. 20) (1349-96)
to the Warden or Master of Sopwell show
the necessity of more care: henceforth no man,
secular or regular, was to be allowed to enter the
nunnery without the abbot's permission, and
then not before Prime had been sung, and he
was not to stay after the bell had been rung for
supper at St. Albans; and the master himself
was always to enter and leave in the company of
others and not to remain longer than the time
fixed above, except in special circumstances.

There are occasional references to individual
nuns that are not without interest. Agnes
Paynel figures in the Book of Benefactors of
St. Albans (fn. 21) for her gift of three copes with
beautiful orphreys, chasuble, tunic and dalmatic
of black satin, powdered with stars and the
letters A and Pin gold, for her monetary contributions to various works of the abbey and a
gold ring offered to St. Alban's shrine. Letitia
Wyttenham, prioress 1418-35, also ranked as a
benefactor (fn. 22) on account of her industry in
embroidering and mending the vestments of
St. Albans. Cecilia Paynel and Margaret Euer,
nuns of Sopwell, were admitted to the fraternity
of St. Albans in 1428 on the same day as the
Earl of Warwick's household. (fn. 23) Lady Margaret
Wynter made regular profession at Sopwell in
June 1429, (fn. 24) and offered a girdle enriched with
precious stones worth 10 marks. (fn. 25) Two more
nuns mentioned in the 15th century were of
London citizen families, and received bequests,
the one (fn. 26) of a mark, the other (fn. 27) of 2 marks a
year.

Visitors of high rank were not uncommon at
the time of Margaret Wynter's admission.
The Duke of Gloucester in 1427 and Cardinal
Beaufort in 1428 called at the nunnery on their
way from St. Albans to Langley, (fn. 28) and the
Duchess of Clarence was apparently staying at
Sopwell in 1429, when she was received into the
fraternity of St. Albans. (fn. 29) One of the convent's
guests was the cause of an alarming attack on
the priory in 1428. (fn. 30) William Wawe, the
famous robber-captain, expecting to find a
certain Eleanor Hulle (fn. 31) there, broke into the
place with his men one night. After terrifying
the nuns with threats they began to plunder,
when hue and cry was raised by an energetic
man in the village, (fn. 32) and the robbers made off.

Abbot William Wallingford on 8 March
1480-1 commissioned John Rothbury, the
archdeacon, and Thomas Ramrugge, sub-prior
of St. Albans, to visit the house of Sopwell and
remove the prioress, Joan Chapel, from her
office on account of her age and infirmities,
putting Elizabeth Webbe in her place. (fn. 33) The
abbot must have regretted his choice afterwards. When Rothbury some years later
deposed her she brought an action against him
in the Court of Arches and was reinstated.
Upon this two monks of St. Albans, sent by
Rothbury, came to the nunnery, broke down
Elizabeth's door with an iron bar, beat her and
put her in prison. (fn. 34) She then appealed to the
Archbishop of Canterbury as chancellor, (fn. 35) and
it can hardly be doubted that she was the
authority for some of Morton's charges against
St. Albans. In his letter to the abbot, 5 July
1490, (fn. 36) he accused him of changing the
prioresses not only at Pré but at Sopwell as he
pleased, and deposing the good and religious
for the benefit of the evil and vicious, so that
religion was cast down and needless expense
caused. He also said that the monks put in
as wardens used their opportunities to dissipate
the goods of these houses, and he no doubt had
grounds for his statement. In 1500-1 Elizabeth
Prioress of Sopwell, probably the same Elizabeth
Webbe, complained to the chancellor (fn. 37) that a
deed of lease by the convent had been secretly
altered to their disadvantage by Thomas
Holgrave, keeper of the priory, and his clerk,
who had been bribed by the tenant.

The house was dissolved in March or April
1537 (fn. 38) under the Act of 1536. Very different
reports of Sopwell were given by John ap Rice
in October 1535, (fn. 39) and the commissioners sent
to receive the surrender in March 1537, (fn. 40) the
first telling Cromwell that, as he would see by
the 'comperta,' it would be well to suppress
the priory, the others declaring that the five
nuns composing the convent were of good
character.

There were then two children living at
the priory, probably for instruction by the
nuns. (fn. 41)

A pension of £6 a year was assigned to the
prioress, Joan Pygot (fn. 42); the other nuns, a
priest and four servants received £10 5s. 8d.
among them. (fn. 43) The buildings, which were in
a fair state of repair, contained little of much
value beyond the lead on the roofs, priced at
£40, and the four bells, reckoned at £18. (fn. 44) The
plate consisted of a silver-gilt chalice and
paten weighing 14 oz. (fn. 45) The furniture of the
church, (fn. 46) including an alabaster table, the
hanging of the quire, two altar frontals, (fn. 47) and
a copper cross, was sold for £1 15s. 6d.; the
timber-work of the quire for 40s.; the stone in
the church with the vestry staff for 60s.; and the
stuff in the parlour for 10s. (fn. 48)

The net income of the priory was reckoned
in the Valor of 1535 at £40 7s. 10d., (fn. 49) at the
suppression at £46. (fn. 50)

Footnotes

2. Grant of Henry de Albini (Dugdale, Mon. iii, 365,
no. ii). It would almost seem that in the Gesta
Abbat. the origins of Markyate and Sopwell have
been confused. There Markyate Priory (op. cit. i,
98-193)is said to have arisen through the occupation
of the hermitage of Roger, a former monk of St.
Albans, by a saintly recluse called Christina, for whom
Abbot Geoffrey built a house. But in reality Markyate was not dependent on St. Albans, as it would
have been if founded by the abbot, and as Sopwell was.

3. Henry de Albini's gift was made for the souls of
the Conqueror and his sons, so that it was probably
not earlier than 1135, while the wording of the
grant 'to the work of the cell and the nuns' suggests
that the house had just been established. The gift
of Henry's son Robert to Sopwell was witnessed by
Abbot Geoffrey (Dugdale, Mon. iii, 365, no. iii).

5. Charter witnessed by the bishop and the abbot
(Gesta Abbat. i, 81-2). The rule as to numbers was
perhaps made in view of the convent's income, to be
set aside if this increased; it was certainly disregarded.
Abbot John blessed fourteen nuns at Sopwell in 1212
and there were at least nineteen here in 1338 (ibid.
i, 232; ii, 212).

19. He said that he had heard that certain good
customs that used to be observed by them were now
omitted, while various abuses were maintained, and
then ordered the observance of the customs as
renewed by him (Dugdale, Mon. iii, 365-6, no. vi).
Also printed and translated by Riley in Gesta Abbat.
ii, App. D, pp. 511-19.

29. Ibid. 40. From this passage it has been
imagined (Dugdale, Mon. iii, 363) that the duchess
was a nun at Sopwell, but this appears to be a mistake.
She intended in 1429 to settle near Syon Monastery
to receive spiritual benefits from the priests there
(Cal. Papal Letters, viii, 149).

31. This lady was of some influence at the court of
Henry V. She was partly instrumental in introducing to the king's notice Thomas Fischborn, the
monk of St. Albans who obtained a dispensation to
become a secular priest (ibid. 27). In 1417 she was
in the service of Queen Joan and received a pension
of 50 marks (Cal. Pat. 1416-22, p. 304). She is
mentioned among the benefactors of St. Albans, see
Dugdale, Mon. ii, 222.

35. The petition is not dated, but the archbishop
addressed is obviously Morton (chancellor 1486-93),
and not Warham (chancellor 1504-15), because
Rothbury predeceased Abbot William de Wallingford
(see Early Chan. Proc. bdle. 97, no. 6), i.e., he died
before 1492.

45. Aug. Off. Misc. Bks. ccclxi, fol. 63. The sum
total of goods and plate came to £11 8s. 9d.; in the
inventory of the commissioners made just before the
suppression (K.R. Church Goods, 12/30) it was estimated at only 76s. 11d., but the list of goods
included neither timber nor stone.

46. The vestments were of the poorest kind: a cope
valued at 12d., a vestment of old black velvet priced
at 2s. 4d., two tunicles of baudekin, two others
very old, a vestment of black cloth, and another for
Lent valued at 16d., 2s., 12d. and 6d. respectively
(ibid.).

47. The frontal of an altar, 20d., the front of another
altar, 12d. (Aug. Off. Misc. Bks. ccclxi, fol. 63).
The second altar was probably that of St. Katharine
mentioned in 1445 (Herts. Gen. and Antiq. iii, 140).

49.
Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), i, 451. The sum only
is given and not the sources from which it was
derived; possibly the difference of nearly £6 is
caused by the annuities being reckoned in one case
and not in the other.

60. Alice Charleton then bequeathed 6s. 8d. to
Matilda Flamstead, late Prioress of Sopwell (Herts.
Gen. and Antiq. i, 47). She died in Feb. 1431-2,
aged eighty-one years, having been in religion
seventy-one years (Amundesham, Annales, i, 61).

64. Ibid. no. 32. It has been supposed that Dame
Juliana Bernes, Barnes, or Berners, author of The
Book of Sports and Heraldry, was a Prioress of Sopwell
in the 15th century, but no evidence has come to
light in support of the story, though its truth is not
impossible, as can be seen from the present list. It is
perhaps more probable, if she was connected with the
priory, that she was a lady boarder in it.